Saturday 13 January 2007

THE GREAT PIP CHALLENGE - SOWING

The stones and pips have been soaking since the 4th of January now; as we have a visitor free weekend I thought it was a good time to start sowing them. I've done a few Google searches for any information re; depth etc....
Luckily I managed to find some coke bottles. The Coke manufacturers are very kind and put ridges round the bottles giving a good cutting guide to follow. I always like the ends with the caps because they are handy if you want to unscrew them and let a little air in.




Most search sites said about putting toothpicks in the avocados and suspending them over water......







but I'm going to have a go at planting them directly into compost.



I've just left the tips showing.








The mango stone seems to have to go on its side with the "hump" uppermost...mine seems to be humped on both edges so had to take a chance as to which hump to put uppermost;

one of the sites I visited said to leave this hump sticking out from the soil; just as well as its a very large stone and I wouldn't have got it in the pot I'm using otherwise.












The orange pips I've just lightly covered with compost and put all 5 pips in one pot; didn't bother with a picture of that because it just looks like a pot of compost.


The site I looked at said to hit the nectarine stone lightly with a hammer to break the shell before planting; I think lifting Mick about must have built up my muscles because this was the result. Will have to give this one a miss; unless of course I get some more nectarines!!!!



All potted, labelled, covered and put on a shelf over the radiator. Not ideal as the temperature wont be constant but the best I can do.....if...big IF..any start shooting I'll put them up on a sunny windowsill so that they don't get too leggy.

Now it's just a waiting game..........................................................

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I was a teenager we used to have avocado trees and ugli fruit trees growing in our kitchen. They got to nearly 3ft high. The avocado pip was still at the bottom of the tree...
They make wonderful house plants. I don't know if they particularly liked the kitchen bc of the steam... but maybe.
(I can't remember precisely what became of them bc I left home then they moved house...)
BTW you must have v green fingers. Do they glow in the dark?? ;->
Hi to Mick, take care
Gleds xx

Anonymous said...

Oh by the way have you ever tried sowing cherries from the pips?
I've saved the stones (or "pitts") loads of times meaning to plant them in little paper eggboxes or something like that...
Never did quite get round to it.
My friend Mother Hubbard has a wonderful garden with peas, potatoes, loads of herbs... They could have gone in there.
There are some amazing flowering cherries on some avenues close to me in spring.

RUTH said...

I'd love it if mine grew that big....I'd have to find a space for them somewhere! Never tried cherry pips...maybe next time I get some I'll have a go. No room for an orchard though...will have to grow Bonsais
Rx

RUTH said...

p.s. to GW....my fingers don't glow in the dark but my nose does afer a few drinks.LOL
Still waiting to hear if I can borrow your poem for my sidebar??
Rx

Libbys Blog said...

Hi Ruth, I popped mine in bags of moist compost in the airing cupboard! Great place when the Rayburn is lit, hopeless when its not!!!

Anonymous said...

Mine are not doing well at all. No sign of anything happening with the date pips thinking of giving up on those!

Yours will all grow rampantly and I will no extrememly envious!

Jeanette said...

Hi Ruth
you got some good tips there i can use .
like all you never seen before plants except the Oxalis we class that as a noxious weed always pulling it out the garden.
Take care keep warm.

RUTH said...

It's said "A weed is just a plant growing in the wrong place". I remember Elsie commenting once about how in S. Africa Cosmos grow wild along the roads!...I have to cosset mine and keep them frost free!

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